What it was like to cancel Edinburgh Fringe because of coronavirus

Some of the members from Australia's leading circus troupe 'Casus' celebrate the final week of the Edinburgh Fringe by performing excerpts from their acclaimed show DNA on top of the Royal Mile's 'Fringe' sign. (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

Across the country, there is a growing sense that our world will never be the same again, and with that, everyone is being faced with tough decisions.

First and foremost there are those on the frontline in health and social care, for whom these decisions are critical. Our unending support goes out to them.

Then there are those making decisions that affect people’s livelihoods, which is why it was so difficult to make the decision we did last week.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe – and its sister August festivals – cannot go ahead as planned.

No one would wish to proceed with a festival in August if it would compromise public health and well-being. It’s for this reason that we have officially pulled our programme and made a commitment to refund all tickets and artists’ registration fees. But calling a halt on the Fringe for the first time in its 73-year history was still a big call.

When we announced the news last week, so many local residents told us how important the Fringe was to them. This festival is rooted in hope, happiness and creativity. Its colour, energy, diversity and uncensored freedom of expression has made Edinburgh the envy of every other city in the world for 72 years.

The decision was made even harder knowing how many jobs and livelihoods will be impacted. In March, a taxi driver told me how quiet his fares had been that week. ‘Please tell me the Fringe will go ahead,’ he said. ‘We’re gonna need it to make up for the losses we’re feeling right now.’

After last week’s announcement, one of our team was in our local chippy, safely two metres behind the customer in front. The chat between a customer and the owner was about how terrible it would be for both their businesses that the Fringe wasn’t happening.

The list of those who depend on income generated during the Fringe is enormous, from cultural venues to local restaurants, pubs and cafes; joiners and electricians to printers, designers and PR companies.

Last year 900 shows from across Scotland took part in the Fringe, featuring hundreds of actors, writers, comedians, singers and performers. Our heart goes out to all of them.

The Fringe Society itself is a small charity that supports the Fringe. We receive very little public funding and rely largely on ticket sales and registration fees, so our own solvency was in question. We’ve made some serious cuts and are working our way through the job retention initiative to keep our own team together.

The decision to not proceed with this year’s Fringe was gutting, and it was not ours alone to take. The idea at the heart of the festival is that everyone with a story to tell is welcome, and we have spent the last three weeks listening to hundreds of these voices, consulting and putting in place plans that would limit the damage as much as possible.

I hope we can use this period of quiet to have an honest conversation with each other about how to make a Fringe that everyone is proud of. Because on the other side of this, we’re going to need creativity, joy and humour to help us understand this massive trauma we’re all going through as a community.

n Shona McCarthy is chief executive at Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

What it was like to cancel Edinburgh Fringe because of coronavirus – Shona McCarthy